Sexual intercourse, especially between unmarried persons; the act of lying together.
Direct from Latin 'concubitus,' the past participle of 'concumbere,' combining 'con-' (together) and 'cubare' (to lie down). The word literally means 'lying together' and was used in medical, legal, and theological texts to describe sexual relations.
Latin was remarkable for having precise, matter-of-fact terminology for human functions that English speakers found embarrassing, so 'concubitus' appears constantly in medical and legal documents while the equivalent English word would have been considered crude!
Latin term for cohabitation/sexual union; medical and legal texts used to define concubinage as inherently sexual (female) rather than contractual, denying women economic/social standing.
Avoid. Use 'cohabitation' or 'domestic partnership' in modern contexts.
["cohabitation","domestic partnership","domestic union"]
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